


The World Beside My Brother’s

by pinkbowbunny



Category: Dororo (Anime 2019), Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns
Genre: Afterlife, F/M, Heaven, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-01
Updated: 2020-05-21
Packaged: 2020-06-02 06:32:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,339
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19435876
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkbowbunny/pseuds/pinkbowbunny
Summary: This fic assumed Tahoumaru died with his mother and Jukai in the fire. However, because I think he deserves way more love, I’m sending Tahoumaru’s soul to the world within the game of “Story of Seasons: Trio of Towns”...In this fic, it depicts the Trio of Towns world as a sort of heaven-like purgatory world, where good people who had their lives stolen from them get another chance to live peacefully and do good for their loved ones from afar, in their own way.Tahoumaru will be reunited with some cherished old friends, and be introduced to some new ones too. He is no longer a prince here... But that doesn’t mean he won’t get the royal treatment. ;)Please kudo or comment if you like it! And don’t worry. Don’t gotta understand TOT to get it much, I’ll explain along the way. The focus is more on Tahoumaru and the other Dororo chars. ^^





	1. Chapter 1

Tahoumaru... had been in a lot of pain lately... He grew up pretty sheltered compared to the suffering of those around him, so he knew he shouldn't complain, but it had been a really rough season for him, to say the very least...

So... When his mother pulled him into her lap, laying his injured face upon her skirt, and telling him that they'd be together forever, he didn't really question it. Because it was the first time in such a long time that he couldn't feel the pain anymore... And it was so warm...

He drifted off to sleep... For a split second, it was blazing hot and painful for Jukai and Nui, but then it was all over. Tahou slipped away just seconds before then, and felt not even that. Only the warmth...

Like the warmth of a sunny Spring day... Like the sun shining directly on his face, the way it used to when he would lay on the grass looking at the sky as a boy... It was dark though... Because he had fallen asleep...

He opened his eyes. The sun in the sky was there. There was no smoke. It was a clear blue sky, with just a few happy-looking clouds here and there. One of them kind of looked like a duck... Another somewhat resembled a horse... A horse, white as clouds...

Where was he? In a grassy field...? He was surrounded by lush green grass... It felt so right, but should it...?

Suddenly he heard a clopping noise coming up behind him...

"Young Master...?"

His still-sleepy eyes shot open on the spot, turning around and looking behind him... At Mutsu and Hyogo... Whole. Unharmed. Alive...?

But... Mutsu was riding the very white horse that he so clearly remembered killing them... No longer possessed by a hateful demon, she was now but a harmless and gentle beast...

Tahoumaru then began to realize... That he was looking upon the two of them, with both of his eyes... Both of his own two eyes again... He reached up and felt at his own face in wonder, "H-How...?"

Hyogo approached his old master, and friend. "Tahoumaru... You're here..." He said in wonder, not sure how to feel about that at first.

"You two..." Tahoumaru gaped back at them, his mind unable to understand right away. Even if his heart already knew, deep down... "You... You're supposed to be dead...?!"

He was a little unnerved but also strangely relieved when Mutsu next admitted, as calm as anything, while stroking the horse's neck, "Yes, young master... We are dead. And if you are here with us, then that means... You have died as well, I am sorry to say..." She apparently felt like a failure to see that had happened, but nothing could be done about it anymore...

Hyogo spoke up then, his voice hopeful. "But... Sister. He's here. At the very least, he's here with us now..."

She slowly nodded, then turned back to smile down on Tahoumaru. "You're right... Come, Young Master. No... Tahoumaru. You are no longer a prince here. None of the responsibilities that burdened you through life will bother you here. Your fellow townspeople will be very excited to meet you. For that is what you and I and Hyogo all are now. We are fellow townspeople of this world. The world of everlasting stories and seasons. The Trio of Towns..."

Despite not being officially in service to him anymore, Hyogo helped Tahoumaru to his feet, and then assisted him onto the back of the horse too, in front of Mutsu. She gave him a hug from behind, and Hyogo squeezed his hand as they rode through a lush green farmland... Towards a beautiful eastern-style mansion in the distance, with three lovely young ladies feeding several happy children around them on the porch...

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

(( This was getting long so I decided to break it into a multi chapter story. In the next chapters to come, Tahoumaru meets his neighbors in the Trio of Towns, gets a tour of Westown, Lulukoko, and his future home in Tsuyukusa, and then gets a big warm welcome party and an explanation of just what the Trio of Towns world is for and why its important to the world he left behind. Much cuteness and fluff throughout, with just a little bit of bittersweet sadness. Hope you guys enjoy the idea and if you do please leave a comment or kudo! I’d appreciate it! :D ))


	2. Chapter 2

Getting off the horse as they came up to the large home, Mutsu patted the beast and she trotted away to a nearby field, where several fat and happy farm animals were also grazing. There were some breeds Tahoumaru had never even seen before. And one of the women feeding the children had a strikingly bright shade of golden yellow hair that he'd never seen before. Sensing a sort of confidence from her, he guessed that she was the owner of the property. "Ah... Please pardon my intrusion...?"

She smiled as bright as her hair and shook her head. "Not at all! We don't get new guests too often, but my my, we've gotten a few more than we're used to at once lately! Its a bit sad, but its also something for us to celebrate. And so we shall! Welcome, friend. My name is Holly. I'm the farmer who lives at the Crossroads. And beyond the Crossroads, friend, is the Trio of Towns. Which by virtue of you now being here, you are now welcome to be a part of. You needn't worry, theres always room for more. You can either choose to stay with me, as Mio here and her children have been, or you can live with Mutsu and Hyogo in their home in Tsuyukusa. But first, we shall hold you a welcome ceremony, here on my farm! I'll go gather everyone, you all go ahead and catch up!" She mentioned to the ladies she was leaving behind as she jogged down the road.

After the golden haired girl disappeared, Tahoumaru was left with the other two women, who were both pale-skinned but darker-haired like him and his own people. The first one, a pretty but simple-looking peasant girl in a red dress, spoke up from where she was smashing persimmon flesh in a bowl. The other girl, a much more rigid and refined looking lady in a green and crimson kimono, was slicing peaches for the children.

The peasant girl spoke up first, "Welcome, Tahoumaru. My name is Mio. I know we never met in life, but it must be fate that we meet each other here, beyond... You see, I knew and loved your brother, Hyakkimaru..."

Looking down at his lap in sadness, he sighed a deep breath he knew deep down that he no longer needed to take. "I wish I had gotten the chance to do that..."

Mutsu and Hyogo patted him on the back, and Mio continued, smiling sympathetically. "Perhaps someday we might get that chance again... But until then, stay with us. Live with us here. Are you hungry for something to eat? Even though we don't need to eat to live anymore, we like to pretend we are and enjoy them anyways. Its only when new arrivals show up that they take a break to admit the truth... After the celebration of commiserations we go back to our daily peaceful lives with each other, pretending its not odd how none of us ever age... Or how how such different people from completely different cultures can live so close to each other and in perfect harmony... We even seem to come from different times. Time passes different here too. Everything is so nice here, but so very different to the world we left behind..."

"Different?" Tahoumaru repeated, but it soon became apparent what she meant when the others began to arrive.

One large group came from a place called Tsuyukusa, Mio explained as they arrived, and the majority of them had black and brown hair and eyes like Tahoumaru and the people he had been raised among. From another, a place called Westown, a lot of people showed up who looked more similar to Holly. Many of them were yellow-haired, though a few others had light brown and even bright red colored hair. From the last town, a tropical coastal province called Lulukoko, came many people with darker skin and hair. Each town seemed to have at least a few people with strangely vibrant colored hair too, but Lulukoko had more than any of them. Mio explained that in their culture, bright colors warded off evil, and so many of their people tended to dye or paint themselves or their homes bright colors.

Most of the adults were carrying some kind of ingredient with them. Holly then invited the children to play together in her fields and with her animals while several of the adults followed her into her kitchen. While they cooked, a few of the less culinarily helpful residents came over to greet and meet. The first of them was a tall man with yellow hair, spectacles over his eyes, and clean white clothes. He shook Tahoumaru's hand with a white gloved hand. "Greetings. My name is Ford. I reside in Westown, and I am the town doctor..."

The golden haired man gave a bit of a rueful smile at that, adjusting his glasses. "Well... I act as the doctor here, and nobody ever really needs a real doctor for obvious reasons, but just as a disclaimer that I only bring up at these welcoming events, the truth is... I died before completing my medical training fully... However, I'm the closest this world has to a doctor, so, you may call me Doctor Ford, if you please!"

Tahoumaru nodded and gave a small respectful bow to the sensei, before being approached by another young man. He looked a lot like a resident of Tsuyukusa, but he was one of the rare few from Tsuyukusa with bright colored hair. His was a lovely shade of teal, an equal blend of blue and green. Somehow, without needing to be told, Tahoumaru seemed to sense that some people's souls just preferred those colors...

The young man bowed to Tahoumaru, and introduced himself, "Hello! My name is Yuzuki. Welcome. Its very useful to have Ford around! If you really want to pretend to be alive you need to see a doctor at least sometimes, hehe! He won't bother you if you skip a check up, though. Some people like to check up on their health, but I was sick a lot in life, so I prefer to only visit once in a while. Otherwise its just a reminder of how much I had to be in hospitals... Of how my own parents abandoned me with my grandparents because they didn't want to deal with a sickly child, and simply went on to forget about me and have another healthy child they loved and were proud of, while I slowly died in my grandparent's home... I don't like to dwell on it though. My parents were unkind, but my body wasn't strong enough to worry about hating them then, and now, I simply know it is pointless. I cannot bring myself to blame my brother either, though I'll always envy him a little... I like to pretend and believe most of the time though, that I simply got better, and moved far away..."

Tahoumaru's heart tugged for the young man. He couldn't help but see a sort of parallel between Yuzuki's family and his own, and felt a bit guilty... At the same time though, he felt a sort of familiarity with the young man because of it, and put a hand on his shoulder in a show of support. "I'm sorry that happened to you, Yuzuki..."

He smiled nicely and shook his head. "I feel much better here and now than I ever did then or there. My body feels much stronger here. I get to do things here often that I rarely enjoyed in life. I can go out on walks in the sunshine almost every day! And I can indulge in my hobbies for hours more than I used to before getting tired or sore! My favorite thing to do is make beautiful things for the beautiful people to wear, to make them even more beautiful! Especially hairpieces, thats my specialty! Speaking of which, Mutsu! My offer to make you the perfect hairpiece still stands!"

Mutsu had never been known to care for frivolous, feminine things. Besides that, she simply never had any reason to. Her place was to protect and serve her lord, not worry about being feminine. Tahoumaru instinctively expected her to just tell him that, the way she would normally tell most other merchants trying to sell her something... But strangely, she instead looked over at Tahoumaru, blushed, and then hurried to look back at Yuzuki, responding appreciatively to the androgynous jeweler, "A-Ah... M-Maybe I might take you up on that later, if a special enough occasion ever comes up..."

Yuzuki laughed gaily behind his hand at her shyness, then proceeded to reach in and lift Tahoumaru's chin, studying his face. No one had ever dared touch him like that, and usually Mutsu would have stopped him, but both she and Hyogo were completely at ease around these people. So Tahoumaru let him too, his heart skipping a few beats as the blue haired man finally announced, "I bet Regal Red is your color, huh? Oh man I bet you'd rock the Red Finery... Oh! Has anyone told him about the Community Closet yet Mutsu?" She shook her head and he went on, "Its just down the hall! Everyone can borrow any outfit any time they like, and it has outfits from all of our different cultures! Everything will fit you too! You should totally try the Red Finery..."

He then proceeded to give Tahoumaru a very obvious wink and a smirk, before turning on his heels and going over to mingle with a group of ladies. The former prince was left baffled, flustered, and a little confused. "Wha... What the...?"

Snorting a little in amusement herself, Mutsu proceeded to drag him to the closet. After all it wouldn't do to let him attend his welcome party in the clothes he died in, that would just be depressing. And once inside, she began to explain to him, "Yuzuki likes both boys and girls... Mostly girls, he mainly just likes to tease other men. But people here don't hide it or shame each other when they love the same sex, or both..."

He blinked like an owl at that, "R...Really...?"

She simply nodded to confirm it, not making an issue out of it. She simply went on to take out the Red Finery. Apparently there was two versions of it, one for men and the other for women. The women's one was really lovely... With red flowers all over it, and a fluffy, furry white trim around the neck... He couldn't help but look at it longingly, the way he used to look at his mother's finery sometimes...

Mutsu noticed. Smiling encouragingly, she held out the hanger holding the feminine red finery. "No one will mind, you know... You can wear whatever you want here... There are teachers and doctors, but there are no judges here, Tahoumaru..."

Blushing, but far too tempted, he nodded and took the garment from her, turning around to change. She also turned from him, changing into the men's version of the red finery for herself. Once they were done they looked back at each other, their cheeks soon matching their outfits.

"You look very nice in that, Tahoumaru..." Mutsu mentioned first, "Perhaps though, just one more thing...?"

Reaching into a drawer next to the full length mirror, she pulled out a red flower hairpiece, pinning it on the side of his hair. Smiling at his reflection, he then spotted a golden-plated piece in the drawer, pulled it out and slipped it on top of Mutsu's head.

"...You're beautiful." Tahoumaru suddenly felt the need to announce, the brief image of Mutsu bloodied in his mind, flashing one more time before he banished it. He much preferred how she looked now, but... "I wish I had told you then, before..."

She placed a hand on the side of his cheek, and he nuzzled next to it. "Its alright... Everything will be alright now. Are you ready to rejoin the others...?"

Tahoumaru blushed, looking down at his clothes, "Oh... W-Wait, shouldn't we switch—?"

She chuckled back at him, tugging him along, "I told you already, no one cares about that here. Come on..."

Coming out of the closet, Tahoumaru found himself being stared at by the whole party. He almost wanted to rush back into the closet, but then...

First was Yuzuki, of course, who whistled for them. "I told you regal red was your color! Ah, and you're even wearing my hairpieces! I'm so flattered!"

The others cheered in unison, the more outgoing ones hollering compliments and the shyer folk clapping politely. Tahoumaru felt a surge of pride and relief. Suddenly standing in this dress felt totally right...

Holly skipped over next, whisking something sweet-smelling in a bowl. "Wow, Tahoumaru! You look great in that! And you and Mutsu look extra cute as a matching couple, hehe!"

Tahoumaru and Mutsu both blushed over that, thankfully thats when Hyogo barged over, holding a plate with a strange triangle shaped food. It looked like nothing Tahoumaru had ever seen before. Hyogo stammered to explain, "Master Tahoumaru! I mean, Tahoumaru! Please, you must try this food from Westown! It is called 'PIZZA'!"

Tahou raised a brow (he had both of those again too) at the strange looking food. It smelled... Okay? But it looked so weird! "What is this... 'Pizza'...? What is it made of?'"

The man who made it, Frank, came over to explain, "Well now, ya start with a crust..." ...What was crust? "Then ya add the tomater sauce..." WHAT kind of sauce...? "Then ya add the cheese o' course," Yeah he didn't know what that was either, what the... "And lastly, you just add whatever kinda vegetables you like! Bake it and its done!"

Well, that was helpful, but at least he recognized the vegetables. Hyogo was still holding it expectantly... It smelled like it would be okay, hopefully...?

Should he or shouldn't he... TRY THE 'PIZZA'?!

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

(( LMAO, oh Tahoumaru, just try the commoner's pizza, its good! xD That and other yummy treats to come in the next chapter, with Tahoumaru's welcome feast! Followed by a tour of the towns! :Db ))


	3. Chapter 3

Hyogo continued to hold the plate aloft for him, insistent. "Just try it, Master, I promise it's good -- Would I ever lead you astray? I even got the one with spinach and mushrooms instead of green peppers because I know you don't favor those..." 

Well. He had been kind enough to think of him in that way, and he also supposed, what did it matter if it tasted bad, at least it definitely couldn't poison and kill him since he was already dead... A bit grim but also looking on the bright side, he eventually nodded and allowed himself to take the plate from his old friend, looking dubiously at the strange floppy triangle and unceremoniously taking a nibble from the end...

His eyes went wide. He felt like fireworks were going off on his tongue. So chewy! Acidic, but also salty, very salty, but so good, and oil-y too, this stuff was crazy rich but everything blended together really well! No wonder some of those Westown-folk looked rather round, eating this stuff regularly (well, either they gained weight here or never lost it...? He decided not to think too long on that) but he couldn't blame them either, because DARN was it delicious--!

"...Hyogo." Tahoumaru finally announced after rather quickly finishing the slice, licking the tomato sauce and cheese oil off of his fingertips. "Tell me where to find more of the 'Pizza'..."

He had another slice of that Westown marvel, this time with broccoli on top of it, then moved on to the dishes made by the Tsuyukusa residents, bowls of rice dishes and mochi that made him feel much closer to home. Finally, two pretty twin girls, distinguished by one wearing pink and seeming more lively and spirited, and one in blue and with a much sleepier face, brought him what they referred to as a 'smoothie', which was an amazing blend of pulverized fruit and crushed ice. It was so refreshing in this heat and after all that salty food!

Mio sat down next to him and Hyogo and Mutsu then, sighing too and sipping from a smoothie drink that had been prepared with a red hibiscus flower sticking out of the glass, and a strawberry skewered on the side of the glass, which she now plucked off and ate. "Isn't it wonderful? Everyone's sad but they're sharing their sadness together with smiles on their faces, enjoying the good things together even while remembering the disappointments... Soon we will just be a happy community with nothing more troublesome to speak of for years at a time but the occasional storms that make our perfect crops just a little less perfect, heh~ Not until someone else shows up... I think one day, a long time from now, Hyakkimaru will come here too. But I hope very much that it's a long time off! Until then I've been praying for him from afar... You can do it too you know, Tahoumaru..." Mio mentioned then, looking over at him and gently patting his hand.

He nodded slowly, sipping the red-colored fruit drink he also had. He and Mio seemed to have the same kind. "I'm sure... My brother will come to a nice place like this someday... I hope so too..." With the simple act of hoping that, of admitting it... He could feel some kind of energy leave him. But it was a relief to send it out, so he did so without much thought. It just felt natural to send it out into the world, as if their entire world was made of that hope itself... Quite a thought.

But then another thought came to him, almost like a rain cloud over his head. The sun was still shining on everyone else, but he suddenly felt much darker... "I... I wonder though...? What about my mother...? What happened to her...? She... She's not here... But... I remember, she was with me, at the end... She was with me, and everything around us was on fire--How could she have survived? But she's not here--"

Mutsu laid a hand on one shoulder. Hyogo set a heavier palm on the other. Mio looked on at him sadly while the other two avoided his gaze. "I'm sorry, Tahoumaru... Yes, your mother also passed the same time you did, but... She... Will not be joining us here. At least not for a much, much longer time, and when she does finally arrive here, if she does, she will probably be a different person..."

Tahoumaru set down his drink. "...Tell me, please. What exactly do you mean..."

Mio nodded, and proceeded to tell him the exact truth, however hard it was... "Your mother wasn't the worst person... That of course would be your father, and he will never set foot anywhere near a place like this, he has no hope of it entirely... But your mother... She made some mistakes that she must pay for. But she was not evil. She was judged for not doing enough when she should have acted though, and thus, now action is being demanded of her. She was given the choice all souls like her are given, to come back as one of the four elemental spirits... Your mother has never been a firm, unwavering person like earth, she has always gone with the flow, like water... So, this was her natural choice. As a water spirit, she will first come back as a Siren. In Siren form, it will be demanded that she drown at least one evil man for every life she failed to save... As a mother, she has to answer for not properly protecting you and your brother. However, she also chose to become the wife of a ruler. Therefore, she is also partly responsible for the subjects that suffered while she enjoyed nice things. She will have to sink quite a few pirate ships until her work as a siren is done... But, when it is, then she will be reborn as a Mer. A Mer is another type of siren, a benevolent one. In this form she will save the lives of those that fall into waters as repentance. Once this has been done long enough, then she will get the chance to be reborn as a human and correct her mistakes, or at least try to do "good enough" this time... If she does that, then she will come here. But when she does, she will be a completely different woman... She might even be reborn as a man. We'll just have to wait and see by then..."

Tahoumaru had to sit and wonder over that, his weird brows hiked up to his hairline... His mom... Might be a man someday...? That was too weird... But at least there was hope for her...

Luckily that was about the time that everyone else started finishing their meals, and so that's when Holly announced to everyone, "Time for the tour! What do you guys think, where should we start first?"

"Have you ever been to a beach, Tahoumaru?" An islander who accompanied the twins, a strong-looking young man with long ocean-blue hair, asked suddenly while sipping from a banana smoothie. "Lulukoko is closest anyways, and why not hit the beach while it's still nice and sunny?"

Tahoumaru had been to a beach before, but it had been a very long time. He was excited to see this 'Lulukoko', but first, Mutsu insisted, they would need to change into 'swim clothes'. Apparently people didn't just strip down to nothing to swim around here, and well, Tahoumaru could see how that would be an improvement. 

Still, he -would- miss that pretty red finery... But Mutsu insisted that the beach would be too hot, and so they went together to the closet once more. Once there, they overlooked many of the swim-wear choices... But a lot of the ones from Lulukoko were just a bit too flower-y. They finally just decided to all three of them go together in matching Happi coats, which seemed like the lightest choice to wear in the water. They were also about to tie their hair back with hachimaki, but instead Holly made a suggestion from over their shoulders. 

"Hey, have you guys ever tried goggles? Try them! They make it so you can see much clearer underwater!"

The three blinked and nodded, each taking a pair of goggles with them and then taking off for Lulukoko. They seemed to come to a strange crossroad area with three paths, and while in that area, things seemed fuzzier than when they were at Holly's farm... But as soon as they took a path, both their surroundings and their minds seemed to clear, and soon enough, they had found themselves on the most gorgeous flower-filled paradise of a beach that anyone could ever imagine. Coral and shells here and there to admire. Gentle waves going to and fro without any signs to worry about, fish sometimes even outright leapt from the waters, as if inviting fishers to come pluck them right out of the sea and into their cooking pots. 

Nearby there was a market too, and palm trees aplenty to give shade. A long pier to fish from out into the ocean. And a cafe that the two pretty priestesses ran together, where they sold all kinds of island treats. The group got together in the ocean, swimming around the pier. Tahoumaru and the others were amazed to find Holly had been right, the 'goggles' allowed them to almost perfectly view underwater! It was amazing, and allowed them to see all the bright, colorful fish and plants and shells that lied underwater.

Eventually they got hungry, so they stopped swimming and started fishing. Working together they brought up a couple of nice red octopi and a big fat tuna. A beautiful couple and their children, plus a nice elderly lady, friends of Ludus, the beautiful blue haired man, and the twins, began to fry fish bites and octopus legs for everyone to enjoy. 

They continued walking up ahead, further into the jungles where a big, beautiful building stood in the middle. Stairs led up to a shrine on one side of the large building, and on the other was a path that led to a communal kitchen.

The elder of Lulukoko, Tototara the wise woman, indicated that the largest building was hers, explaining, "This is my Inn~ If ever you get tired or just want to get away for a while, please do come visit our little inn for the night~ We offer a free breakfast in the morning, and the next door shrine is a lovely little place to pray. We should go do so now!" She suggested, leading the way to the stairs to the shrine up ahead. 

At the top of the stairs a middle-aged man and woman were waiting, both somewhat skinny people with glasses who seemed to be studying the area. The stern woman was introduced as Mithra, and her much more timid assistant was called Lotus. Like a flower? He did seem like he might be about to wilt... 

They explained that they were usually there to study, but since it was time for a celebration, they were here to observe that instead. Indeed everyone gathered around the two twin priestesses as they began to dance at the alter, observing the ornate dances. Towards the end of their set, Tototara whispered in explanation to the newcomers, "Lulukoko protects the seas and the coasts... And all the people that live along them... We pray for the safety of those who must rely on the waters for life, despite knowing how dangerous it can be... For some, though, there is no life but this..."

The priestesses finished dancing, and as they did, a very strange little girl-child, with hair like green emeralds in twisted braids, appeared before everyone. "Pan pakaaa--Ooh, wow, a-a lot of people showed up today...? Th-That's okay, though! W-Welcome everyone, paka paaaan~!"

Tahoumaru blinked at her odd little mannerisms, but she was apparently not a human, so considering that it wasn't too weird... Tototara went on to confirm as well, "Please say hello to Dessie, Tahoumaru. She is Lulukoko's guardian goddess. She protects plants and nature, and her lullabies calm the seas... We pray for the safety of all living beings who must work and live by the fearsome ocean..."

Bowing to the alter and the little goddess with Hyogo and Mutsu, she nervously bowed right back. "Th-Thank you everyone! I'll do my best! And welcome, Tahoumaru! Please pray for the people living by coasts and on islands with us! I'll do my best to encourage the growth of plants, though my big sisters, the full fledged goddesses, do most of the work, I try to help as best I can! Please encourage me with prayer and I'll continue to do my best!"

The little (former) prince stared down at the little goddess... She... Was so... CUUUTE! IT WAS TOO MUCH TO BEAR! HOW COULD YOU NOT WANT TO WORSHIP SOMEONE SO CUTE?? HE WANTED TO PRAY FOR HER EVERY DAY~~~!

...Ahem... He quickly gained his composure as best he could, and gave her a proper bow. "Thank you so much for having me here... Really. I promise I'll do my best to be a good citizen here and pray for us and the living every day... Thank you for making this place so beautiful for us!" 

He bowed again, and Mutsu and Hyogo, and the rest of the townsfolk, bowed behind him, Dessie blushed, overwhelmed by the praise, and quickly vanished with a squeaky, "Y-You're welcome, paka paaan--!"

After a short rest at the community kitchen, the group continued through a strange passageway of trees slowly turning into a forest of bamboo, beyond which was an entirely different style of town. One much closer to the world he'd left behind... 

The people walking to and fro were all dressed in summer yukatas, and just to the right of the path leading from Lulukoko there was another deity's shrine, where a little being now stood, almost all in white with white fluffy fox ears and with some red prayer beads around her neck. It was obvious right away that she was just as divine as Dessie, so right away Tahoumaru came over to her and bowed in a respectful greeting, his friends right behind him. 

She returned their bow with a smile, "Greetings, my dear friends. So nice to see you all again. And welcome, Tahoumaru. I am called Inari, and I am the protector of Tsuyukusa. Tsuyukusa in turn is the symbolic spiritual protector of all the world's Eastern Lands. Please pray with us, for all those like us who will come after us..."

Tahoumaru nodded solemnly, "To pray here... Is to pray for my own people. To pray for my brother... Hyogo, Mutsu... Let us pray right now..."

He bowed his head and the others behind him did so too, not just his closest friends but all his new friends too, they bowed their heads with him and prayed... For safety, for food, for good will to spread among the people faster than any pestilence... And, for more than anything, just for happiness... Tahoumaru imagined he could almost even see his brother in his mind's eye for a moment... A few years older already, sitting on a wooden pier with a slightly younger girl sitting next to him. Swinging their feet through fields of golden rice... It seemed the lands were doing -much- better since his family had lost power... Go figure...

Still though... Hopefully no harm in doing his part too. Touching his invisible fingertips to the rice, he could feel his spirit feeding them... Like the plants were licking some kind of soul-sweat from him... It felt vaguely ticklish, kind of nice...

He looked back at Hyakkimaru. The young lady was resting her head on Hyakki's shoulder, looking sleepy... Hyakkimaru's eyes were awake though. For a second, Tahoumaru wondered with a start if he was looking at him...?

But then he gasped as a crane bird that was apparently standing just next to him suddenly took flight... Ah, that was probably what Hyakkimaru had been looking at...

With a gasp he found himself back in front of the shrine in Tsuyukusa... 

Inari twitched her ears at him. "Hopefully all is well?"

He bowed his head back to her, in admittance and in shame, "It seems... Like everything is better for everyone, since I left..."

The little goddess' smile didn't waver, but her next comment was calmly scathing, "The world goes through good times and bad no matter what. The death of a prince means no more or less to nature than the death of a butterfly."

Ah... Well, he supposed she wasn't wrong... Of course, how could she be, she was a goddess...

They bowed once more and then moved on through the town, stopping at a nearby shop around the bend. The signs here were readable, so Tahoumaru read out loud, "Ra Man's... A general store?"

Hyogo nodded at that. "Master... This just happens to be where I have been working, actually..."

At first Tahoumaru assumed Hyogo was embarrassed to admit that because it was like a step down in rank, from serving him as a prince to now being a 'simple general store worker'... He was about to let him know he had no reason to feel shame for his work, but then a bright and excited young man with short cropped brown hair and a red and green coat came from the back, clapping Hyogo on the back in a very friendly manner. Hyogo then started to blush, and the boy introduced himself, "Hey there! I'm Hinata! I work here at Ra Man's too! It's been great since Hyogo came! Ittetsu was my sempai until Hyogo got there, but now I'm the sempai! Heheh!"

Hinata then seemed to look up at Hyogo expectantly, waiting... Hyogo blushed and fussed for a moment, but eventually admitted shyly, "A-Actually, M-Master Tahoumaru... Hinata-sempai here is, ah... Well, we are... H-He and I are b-b-boyfriends, okay?!" He finally admittedly, a little louder on accident. 

Hinata blushed and patted him on the back, "He's still getting used to it not being a big deal here, but yeah, I kinda seduced him not long after he got here! I knew I had to get my hands on this big strong guy before one of the girls took another one away from me! HAH!"

He then hooked his arm with Hyogo, and Tahoumaru blushed to realize... He was happy for his friend, but strangely, also... Almost a little jealous, somehow... He wasn't sure why, though... Probably...

Mutsu suddenly tugged on his sleeve. He realized he had been staring, a bit. He suddenly 'woke up' with a start, "Ah! That's--That's amazing, Hyogo, I'm really--I'm really glad you found someone to love, and who loves you! I guess... Back in our world, you never would have had much opportunity... I'm glad you can find that happiness here, though..."

Hyogo bowed. "Thank you, mast--Er... Tahoumaru... It means a lot to hear you give your blessing, even if it's not needed here, it's good to hear all the same..."

After showing Tahoumaru where Hinata and Hyogo lived in a house in the back, a few more employees joined them in the front. There was an older man who owned the place, a refined fellow called Moriya. A stern married man named Ittetsu ran the grocery section, and his very lovely wife Shizu sold fabrics and clothing. Hinata sold seeds and other farming goods between them, and Moriya stood in the middle offering special deals on select merchandise. There was also the single most adorable little girl Tahoumaru had ever seen, her name was Sumomo. She was a little clumsy, but you couldn't help but cheer for her to keep going. Apparently since Hyogo had moved in with Hinata, Sumomo had been staying with Moriya in his room upstairs, but it was a bit cramped for his liking and he was trying to see if room could be made for her elsewhere, but hadn't found a spot yet.

Moriya started going on about work ethic and trustworthiness then, a speech mostly for the employees it seemed, so Mutsu took that opportunity to tug on Tahoumaru's sleeve again, indicating for him to follow her away somewhere. He did, bored with this simple shop now, and wanting to see what it was Mutsu wanted to show him now...

She led him around the corner. There were a few more shops down this street, and just beyond that a river and a bridge over it that led to a tea shop. He wasn't hungry again yet though, not that feeling hunger should make any sense, but then neither should the desire to bathe, and yet, just beyond a hair salon, it seemed Mutsu had led him to an upscale bath house...

Mutsu then stopped in the middle of the establishment, and held her arms out proudly. "See this...? This is actually where I work now... This whole bath house? I run it. It had been shut down for a long time before I came, but then Holly and everyone in Tsuyukusa decided to fix it up, and it was just so nice when they were done, I knew right away I wanted to work here. There's a separate male and female bath... But you know... There is also... One extra bath... The spa owner's personal bath... A-And, w-well... Since I'm the spa owner right now, and since it's my personal bath... I get to decide if it's a single's bath or a couple's bath, don't I..."

Tahoumaru stared. Blank for a moment. What on earth was Mutsu saying... What on earth was he -hearing-...? But then... He wasn't exactly on earth anymore... And neither was Mutsu... She was free of all those rules that held her back from showing her true feelings there, all along... He realized with a powerful thump of his somehow still beating heart, that she was now about to start confessing those feelings... To -him-...

She reached for his hand. He let her take it, staring as she brought it up to her bosom. Over her heart. Suddenly all notions of being 'royal' or anything remotely like it went out of his mind forever. He was just an ordinary man here now... And he was nothing but fine with that, because apparently it came with the very best perks... 

"Tahoumaru... I always wanted to tell you... I love you..." Her throat got tight there, but she forged ahead, "And... If you love me too, if you wanted to... We could finally really be together here..." She indicated behind her with a thumb, to a door that apparently led to that magical hidden room that waited just for them... "B-Back there... If you want, that is... I-If not, please forget I said--"

Tahoumaru wasn't hearing any of that. He suddenly advanced on her, grasped her shoulder, stared her in the eyes... "I'm not forgetting any of that... Ever. I love you too, Mutsu... Let's go. Lets' do this. Let's finally do this..."

She nodded, her heart skipping a couple beats. Shaking a bit, she reached for a key that had been hanging on a string around her neck, and unlocked the door behind them, opening it to reveal her private owner's bath...

OoOoOoOoOoOoOoOoO

(( Ahaha, whoops, forgot about this fic for a while... XD;; Sssoooooo what do you guys think? XD ^^; Should I continue this particular part more... In detail? Or just skip this kind of part and just get the actual plot moving, when/if/ever that happens...? I also had ideas about possibly making a sensual spin-off chapter of my other Dororo fic "Sing Me to Life Idol-Angel", where, ahah, tbh? Past/other-dimension Hyakkimaru is asked by future!Hyakki and Mio to, ah... Well, help them conceive, before he leaves... XD;; 

In any/either case, let me know whether you guys want me to cover that or the bath scene or not, after this Tahoumaru will visit Westown and see the final of the three goddesses, Witchie, and then finally choose his place in the world and what he wants to be. BTW to those familiar with Trio of Towns, I know Dessie is from Westown and Witchie is from Lulukoko, but yanno? I personally always thought it kinda didn't make sense, that it made more sense if Dessie was in charge of Lulukoko b/c she's green like all the plants and flowers there, and Witchie looks like a little Westown girl and witches kinda seem more like a western concept? IDK. In any case its my fic so I decided to switch them, lol. I only switch the places they're in charge of though, and where they live, otherwise everything is the same for their personalities. 

Also since the old lady who is in charge of the spa is literally also named Mutsu in the TOT game anyways... Whyyyy not just switch for a younger hotter Mutsu running the bath house? XDDD

Peace homies, lemme know whatcha think, and hopefully I don't forget about the fic again... XD;; ))


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